“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.” – Acts 2:1-3
In this moment, on the day of Pentecost, everything changed! God poured out His Holy Spirit upon all who believed in Jesus and the church was born. The once tiny group of Christ’s disciples rapidly became an unstoppable movement that turned the world upside down!
None of that happened because of the early church’s great skills, talents, credentials, or wealth. They didn’t have much of those. It all happened because the Spirit of God came to live within them, to transform and empower them, to convict and comfort them, to teach them, and preach through them. The Book of Acts is the story of how God’s Spirit took the church outward from Jerusalem to the end of the earth.
That story continues to unfold today and the Holy Spirit remains our animating power. Every Christian receives the Holy Spirit when we believe in Jesus. When churches and Christians have forgotten the power of the Holy Spirit, we have stagnated. When we have studied Scripture and understood His dynamic power, learning to walk in step with Him, He has changed the world through us. That promise is still true today!
As followers of Jesus, don’t quench the Holy Spirit. Don’t ignore Him. Don’t neglect Him. Don’t try to override Him. Nurture the Spirit. Use of His gifts. Draw near to God and walk with Him in prayer, in Bible study and meditation, in worship, and in ministry. The Holy Spirit is our power to accomplish anything of lasting importance and we must not waste our lives and gifts by settling for anything less than His power at work in and through us!